Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Daly, John F. November 1879 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com October 24, 2010, 1:02 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 597 - 598 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company JOHN F. DALY. No member of the banking fraternity of Portland stands higher in public regard than does John F. Daly, president of the Hibernia Commercial and Savings Bank. He has been actively identified with the banking business for many years and has proven an able, careful and efficient executive. Mr. Daly was born in Cresco, Howard county, Iowa, in November, 1879, and is a son of Matthew W. and Mary F. Daly. In 1880 the family moved to South Dakota, where the father became identified with mercantile affairs, later locating in Madison, that state, where he became a member of the banking firm of Daly & Mackay. His death occurred at Madison in 1898, and his widow now resides in Portland. John F. Daly received his educational training in the public schools and attended Notre Dame University, in Indiana. When eighteen years of age he entered his father's bank at Madison, eventually becoming a member of the firm. Later he engaged in the investment business at Madison, but in 1904 sold his interests there and, coming to Portland, became connected with the Portland Trust Company. About a year later he bought an interest in an abstract business, known as the Security Abstract and Trust Company, of which he became president. In 1908 he organized the Title and Trust Company, of which he was president until 1919 and is still a director. In 1919, he became president of the Hibernia Commercial and Savings Bank, which position he still holds. In 1892 a group of successful business men realized the need of a savings bank in Portland, which had a larger volume of business than any other city of the same population in the world, was enjoying a steady and healthy growth and was the natural trade center of a vast territory. The Hibernia Savings Bank was organized that year and opened for business on January 16, 1893, in the McKay building, on the southeast corner of Third and Stark streets, with D. W. Crowley as president and M. W. Gorman, cashier. Mr. Crowley was succeeded by A. C. Smith as president in December, 1893, and James T. Barron became cashier in June, 1893, succeeding Mr. Gorman. The first directors were D. W. Crowley, Andrew C. Smith, W. S. Mason, Sam J. Gorman, John E. Lombard, M. G. Munly and John Kelly. John Kelly served only a short time and was succeeded by William Sheehy. Times were none too good after the bank started business, due to the panic, and special care had to be exercised in making loans. The records show that during this period a rule was made to make no loan except when actual cash in the vault exceeded fifty per cent of the deposits, except on approval of five of the directors. No loan was to be made to an individual to an amount exceeding five hundred dollars. During 1897 Arthur C. Spencer served as a director of the bank, which position he still holds, being also the bank's general attorney. James T. Barron resigned as cashier and director in March, 1900, to organize and manage the Thlinket Packing Corporation. Later he again joined the bank as a director and holds this position today. B. S. Reilly, the successor to Mr. Crowley as director, succeeded Mr. Barron as cashier and held the position until his death, in 1902. Business increased steadily and the bank moved to 247 Washington street, between Second and Third streets. In this location Lansing Stout became associated with the bank in 1902 as cashier and general manager. At that time the entire force consisted of Mr. Stout, a teller and a bookkeeper. Mr. Stout called his staff together and, announcing that banks as well as individuals grow in accordance with the ideals they set, providing that the public learn of these ideals through the medium of a slogan, selected for this bank the slogan, "A Conservative Custodian," and the bank policy has since been shaped around the conservative custodian ideal. In 1905 Clarence B. Sewall was added to the staff as assistant cashier. In 1905 the bank was again compelled to secure larger quarters, moving to the Labbe building, at Second and Washington streets. The present cashier, Fred I. Weber, entered the bank in 1907 at messenger and general assistant. Within five years the quarters in the Labbe building were outgrown and the bank moved to its present quarters, at Fourth and Washington streets, formerly occupied by the Merchants National Bank, and in 1920 the building was completely remodeled. At the annual stockholders meeting in January of that year, the name of the institution was changed to the Hibernia Commercial and Savings Bank. In March, 1919, Andrew C. Smith severed his connection and was succeeded in the presidency by John F. Daly, under whose supervision the bank has continued its growth, each year showing greater deposits than the previous year, amounting now to over seven and a half million dollars. The capital stock was increased in 1928 to five hundred thousand dollars, so that the capital funds are now over eight hundred thousand dollars. The present officers and directors of the bank are as follows: John F. Daly, president; Lansing Stout and C. B. Sewall, vice presidents; Fred I. Weber, cashier; Guy N. Hickok, assistant vice president; Charles V. Galloway and C. E. Gleason, assistant cashiers; W. Spliid, manager foreign department; directors, John F. Daly, Lansing Stout, C. B. Sewall, Noble Wiley Jones, James T. Barron, Arthur C. Spencer and Drake C. O'Reilly. The bank maintains commercial, savings, trust and bond departments, and also gives special attention to handling accounts by mail from out-of-town customers. This is now the largest state bank in Oregon. John F. Daly was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Wiley, who was born and reared in this city and is a daughter of Captain J. R. Wiley and a granddaughter of Mrs. Catherine Burk, who came to Portland in 1852. Mr. and Mrs. Daly are the parents of four children, namely: John, Jr., and Mary Margaret, both of whom are graduates of high school, James and Catherine. Mr. Daly is a member of the Multnomah Athletic Club, the Waverly Country Club, the Arlington Club, of which he is past director; the Chamber of Commerce, of which he is a past director; the Red Cross Society, of which he is a director; the Community Chest, of which he has been a director from its organization; the Portland Remedial Loan Association, of which he is a director; and the State Chamber of Commerce, of which he is a director. He is also a director of the Federal Reserve Bank, is president of the Oregon Bankers Association, a past president of the Portland Clearing House Association, and during the World war served as a member of the headquarters staff of the Liberty Loan drives. In fact, no movement for the promotion of the best interests of the city or county has ever lacked for his hearty support and he is regarded as one of Portland's most public-spirited men. Mr. Daly is a republican in his political views and is regarded as a man of clear headed judgment and sound opinions on the great questions and issues of the day. A man of strong character, unimpeachable integrity and courteous manner, he holds an enviable place in the confidence and esteem of all who know him and is generally recognized as one of Portland's representative men of affairs. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/daly1294gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 8.0 Kb